Maintenance (Oil Change) Every 5000?

The 5000 number is for tire rotation only.

 

All Prius' have a built-in Service Reminder that comes on every 5,000 miles since last reset because Toyota recommends tire rotations and inspections every 5,000 miles (or 6 months). But, oil/filter changes are only due every 10,000 miles (1 year) assuming you fill with the recommended 0W-20 oil.

 

With the US schedule, I'll go out on a limb, say you could skip the 5000 mile (or 6 months) service, and the car would survive. With the one item that really gets done, tire rotation: if for example you skip the 5K services, the tires might get rotated 4 times in their lifetime, instead of eight, and at the end, I doubt the wear would be any different.

'Course up here, with my "Canadian" schedule, I'm changing the oil every 6 months. And: our cars don't have the maintenance reminder.

 

I suggest you read your owner's manual to determine what is required of you in order to maintain the warranty. You do not want to lose that!

 

you can track ev miles (engine off) and hv miles (engine on) on your screen. you only have two meters though, so you have to choose between trip/tank/lifetime, two out of three.

you might want to change the oil and/or filter every year or two, regardless

 

The schedule's in the smaller second booklet, the Warranty and Maintenance Guide. It should be in the glove box. You can also download a pdf from Toyota Tech Info (google this), in the Manuals section.

On page 32 of the booklet is an explanation of maintenance responsibilities. Bottom line: routine maintenance can be done by the owner, an independent mechanic or garage, or a Toyota dealership service department. You have an obligation to be careful/competent, keep detailed records and receipts, what was done, at what miles and dates. You are not obligated to use Toyota service department (by law), and warranty/recall work does not require you to have an unbroken service record with the dealership.

The US schedule is laid out in the booklet event-by-event, a terrifically myopic presentation, giving no clue as to the patterns. I've just cobbled a spreadsheet of fourth gen US schedule (attached). The operative word is "just", would appreciated any comments, if I've missed anything, or messed up. Please have a read. It does have some minor rewording, but should be faithful to the booklet.

Addendum: some of the maintenance and/or inspection in the schedule is of dubious value, or near impossible to do in real life, especially with no clear-cut guidance in the Repair Manual. I'm not saying all of the items are doable or worthwile, just trying encapsulated what's in there.

 

New Toyota vehicles come with free Toyota Care maintenance plan for 2.5 years or 25K miles. It will take care of your first 5 scheduled maintenance. I have read somewhere that Toyota Care includes 3 oil changes not 2, but if you follow maintenance manual, you will be needing only twice, one at 10K and second at 20K.

 

I'm almost glad we don't have free maintenance for the first few, in Canada. Saves the quandry. Also, there's a few less than favourable reports of what was encountered by DIY'rs, when this free period ended. Maybe not so much a problem with 4th gen, but third gen'rs sometimes found their oil access "flap" snapped off. Also some had oil filter housings that could not be removed, likely installed by impact wrench. Even better: they get the oil filter housing is removed, and discover there's no filter inside. Again, with 4th gen reverting recently to regular style oil filters, that's no longer a problem. But I'm sure they'll find something. Probably a fistful of grease on each door hinge?

 

Enjoy that new Prime.

(Off topic to Mendel: Not once, in 34 years of going to assorted Toyota dealers for service, have they ever lubricated the door hinges or locks. That must be a Canadian thing. )

 

I think you're right, CDN schedule has frequent hinge lube, US has nothing. Just doing the 4th Gen US schedule spreadsheet, noticed that.

 

i prefer my oil changes at 5,000, and then every 10,000 after. gets the ickies out from break in.

 

Just be prepared for the dealer to upsell you on services that are not required (fuel injector cleaning). Have your Warranty and Maintenance Guide handy to show them you know what is recommended and covered by your plan.

 

Don't skip rotating tires. They will get flat spots and the tires will be destroyed. I know from experience with unnamed other persons in the household. If Toyota's doing it for free, may as well let them

 

How about 4 rotations at 10K miles, vs 8 at 5K miles? Are they going to wear much different?

It's debatable. It is a good opportunity to just eyeball the brakes.

 

What does 4 rotations or 8 rotations mean? Rotation is rotation. It's a binary thing. There's no count.

 

Well I'm thinking the 5K, 15K and so on services are mainly just a tire rotation. If you cut those, just do the 10K, 20K and so on, still rotating the tires, but only half as frequently, they still get about the same amount of time at the front or back of the car.

 

Maybe. I'm not sure how long the wife went without rotating the tires, but it didn't take too long to get flat spots. I'd guess it was pretty close to 10,000 - 15,000 miles based on the time between getting new tires and when they started making the "whomp whomp" sound.